Air current deflector



July 21, 1953 c, U 2,646,257

AIR CURRENT DEFLECTOR Filed Sept. 21, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I I I I 28 30 35 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY I July 21, 1953 E. c. KRUME AIR CURRENT DEFLECTOR 2 Sheets$heet 2 Filed Sept. 21 1951 A l/fem a Patented July 21, 1953 7 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE j 2,646,257 AIR-CURRENT DEFLECTOR Elbert'C, Krume, Opportunity, Wash. Application September 21,1951, Serial No. 247,721

' (c1. 25s 1z.5)

3. Claims.

My present invention is an, air current deflector for preventing thedeposit of air borne particles where not desired, and it is one object of the invention toprovide an air current deflector adapted to be positioned upon the brow of a railroad or highway cut on the side from which the prevailing winds come and which will direct the flow of air into the cut to eliminate the relatively still air current area within the out which permits the air borne particles to be deposited.

'Another object of the invention lies in the provision of an angularly adjustable deflector plate pivotally mounted for vertical tilting movement upon upright posts or supports-set. in the ground -to the windward side and anchored by cables.

Another object of the invention lies in the provision of an vauxiliary deflector plate adapted to direct aircurrents on the top or face of the primary deflector plate to prevent air borne particles from being deposited on the top of the primary deflector plate. v I

Another object of the invention lies in the provision of an air current deflector which is inexpensive to manufacture and install and which is very effective in performing its function of deflecting air currents which prevent drifting snow or dust from collecting in railroad or highway cuts and the like.

These and other objects of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following description and as more particularly set forth in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts,

Figure l is a side elevation of the air curren deflector mounted on the brow of arailroad cut,

I shown in transverse cross section,

the numeral H, is positioned at the brow l2 of the cut. It will be understood that the invention is applicable to many other locationswhere drifting snow or dust and thelike are undesirable and its use is not to be restricted beyond that required by the appended claims.

Spaced vertical tubular posts 13, are anchored by setting their lower ends in the ground or concrete I 4. Ears 48 are welded to the posts adjacent their upper end portions, and each ear has a right angle pressure plate 49 at the free end thereofand the plate is provided with an opening through which the shankof an eye 7 bolt 59 passes." Rotation of nut 5i draws the through adjoining ends of the deflector plates shank through the opening t tighten cable 52 secured to the eye bolt at one end and anchored in the ground at the other by means of a dead man 53. The posts [3 have their upper end portions flattened as at [5, and the end portion is formed with an arcuate !9. Bolt receiving holes 16 are drilled transversely through the flattened end portions, I5 of the posts and a journal pin or bolt l'l is passed therethrough. A nut i8 is applied to the pin to prevent its displacement. r

The deflector plate 28 is corrugated. to form air directing ribs 29 aligned and'extendin'g transversely of the deflector plate 20. The material, found most applicable for this has been corrugated aluminum sheets, but otheri'naterials may be used equally as well. The corrugated sheet 'is supported along its opposite end edges upon spaced metal angles 2! each disposed with'a depending flange 22 and a right angle flange 23 forming a shelf upon which the plate '20 is secured as by welding or riveting. It will be noted that the corrugations'of plate 28 extend parallel with the flanges 23 of the angles 2| and. transversely of the longitudinal axis of plate 20 'to reduce wind resistance to a minimum, and to direct the flow of air therefrom.

Spaced from the upper end of angle -21, depending flange 22 is drilled to receive the bolt or journal pin ll and each angle is thus secured to the upper portion !5 of its. respective post l3 for vertical tilting movement. A stiffener -24 which is arcuate in cross section is'secured longitudinally across the upper face of the plate 20 by rivets or welding and reinforces theplate longitudinally. p H

The upper or leading edge 2 toffplate 20 is provided with a longitudinally extending bracing angle 25 secured to the under face of theplate 20 as shown in Figure 2 and extending along its full length and the ends of theangle 25 aresecured to the spaced angles 2! at their upper end portions.

The lower or trailing edge is left free to prevent any turbulence of the air currents leaving the deflector plate 20.

Lower ends of angles 2| are each provided with a bore 21 which received a bolt 28 secured by a suitable nut and pivotally secures brace 29. The brace 29 is formed from angle material and has a depending flange 3i! drilled to receive the bolt 28 at one end 3| which is provided with an arcuate end face. Adjacent the opposed end of said brace 29, flange 30 is provided with multiple apertures 34 spaced from each other longitudinally of the brace 29 and adapted to receive a projection or stub bolt 32 secured on the side of the respective post l3. The stub bolt is threaded to receive a clamping nut 33. The deflector is thus tiltably mounted on the posts and adjustably secured at selective positions by passing stub bolt 32 through a selected one of the apertures 34 and applying clamping nut 33.

When a deflector of greater length is desired, it is only necessary to add multiplesections to the ends of the single deflector to form a unit of any desired length. To facilitate'this, I have provided the depending flange 22 with holes 35 (Figure 3) spaced longitudinally of said flange and aligned with complementary holes in opposed angles 2|. Bolts are then passed through the aligned holes to secure the sections together. The pivot bolt or journal pin I? is passed through holes (6 into adjoining flanges 22. It will thus be seen that only one post [3 and one brace 29 will be needed where the deflector sections meet.

In practice it has been found that oftentimes the air-borne particles will deposit on the upper inclined face of the deflector plate 28 and therefore-it was found necessary to provide means of preventing this deposit. I have shown two methods of precluding the deposit, each using the same principles as the primary deflector. Even though the air current deflector may be made strong enough to support the additional weight of the deposit and its presence would not greatly interfere with the operation thereof, it does lessen its effect to some extent, and further, for economic reasons, one should use a material as light as practicable commensurate with known conditions to form an inexpensive unit which is not liable to break down or become inoperative.

To prevent the deposit from forming on the upper. face of the plate 23 I have provided (in Figures 1, 2 and 3) a second deflector plate 35 supported at each end by an angle 37 and having a longitudinally extending stiflener 33. Ihis secondary deflector plate is of the same length as the primary deflector plate 23, but is of much less width, and is positioned in upwardly spaced relation and fixed parallel with said primary plate.

The leading edge 39 of secondary deflector plate 36 extends beyond the leading edge 25 of the deflector 29, and the function of plate 33 is to deflect the air currents down upon the top face of plate 29 and the current will then prevent any air-borne particles from being deposited. Braces 4i] and 41 are secured to the angles 21 and 31 to support the plate 36 from the primary deflector.

In Figure 5, I have shown a modified deflector 42 comprising a lip 43 disposed in upwardly spaced relation to an aperture 44 formed in the primary deflector plate 45. The 1ip,43 directs the air current onto the top of the primary deflector plate 45 as in the otherform, and is supported from the plate 45 by an angularly disposed continuation46 of the li 43 and which has a securing strip 41 welded or otherwise secured to the upper face of the deflector plate 45.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. An air current deflector comprising spaced supporting posts flattened at their upper end portions and adapted to be anchored with their lower ends positioned in the ground at the brow of a out, said upper ends being drilled and journal pins carried thereby, angle bars having depending flanges pivotally secured on said journal pins for tilting movement of said angles, an elongated deflector plate having its marginal side edge portions secured upon said angles, said plate extending at a downward incline from an upper leading edge to a lower trailing edge and having corrugations forming ribs extending transversely thereof from its upper leading edge to its lower trailing edge, a stiffener bar secured longitudinally of said plate on its upper face, a brace consisting of a strip secured to the bottom face of said plate along its leading edge and extending longitudinally the full length thereof with its ends secured to said angles, angle adjusting braces pivotally secured to lower ends of the depending flanges of the angle bars adjacent the trailing edge .of said deflector plate, multiple aperturesin said second named braces and spaced longitudinally thereof, stub bolts carried by said posts and provided withyclamping nuts, said stub bolts passing through selected ones of said apertures whereby the deflector plate may be tilted to selected angularly adjusted positions, and an auxiliary deflector carried by said deflector plate in upwardly spaced relation thereto for directing air currents downward- 2. An air current deflector comprisin spaced supporting posts adapted to be anchored with their lower ends in the ground at the brow of a cut, a journal pin carried by each post adjacent its upper end, a main deflector plate journaled on said journal pins for tilting movement thereon, said deflector plate having corrugations extending transversely of said plate from its leading edge to its trailing edge, stiffening means on said deflector plate, angle adjusting braces pivotally secured to saiddeflector plate adjacent its trailing edge whereby said deflector plate is angularly adjustable to selected positions, an auxiliary deflector plate disposed over the leading edge portion of the main deflector plate the full length thereof and being of much less width and having its leading edge portion profecting beyond the leading edge of the main deflector plate, and supporting bars extending downwardly from ends of the auxiliary deflector plate in spaced relation to each other transversely thereof and secured at lower ends to ends of the main deflector plate, said bars supporting the auxiliary plate in upwardly spaced relation to the main deflector plate in position adapting it to direct .air currents onto the upper face of said deflector.

3. An air current deflector comprising-supporting posts, a main deflector plate journaled on said supporting posts for transverse tilting movement, braces pivotally secured tosaid' deflector plate and releasably secured to the supporting posts adjacent the opposed ends of said braces for adjustably securing said deflector plate in an angularly disposed position relative to said posts, an auxiliary deflector of the same length and lesser width than the main deflector. plate disposed above said main mentioned deflector plate and projecting beyond the leading edge 5 thereof, and supporting bars extending downwardly from ends of the auxiliary deflector plate and mounted at ends of the main deflector plate,

7 said supporting bars supporting the auxiliary de- ELBERT o. KRUME.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Walrad June 27, 1865 Rice Sept. 11, 1883 Gleason Nov; 3, 1885 Howie Aug. 10, 1886 Swezey June 29,1915 Crowley Aug. 21, 1923 Naud Jan. 20, 1925 

